EU And Turkish Relations Spiral Downward

After lawmakers there voted for a temporary halt to Turkey's EU membership negotiations, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan threatened on Friday to unleash a new wave of migrants on Europe. Behind the fighting talk, however, neither side wants a collapse in ties.Europe's deteriorating relations with Turkey are endangering a deal which has helped to significantly reduce a migrant influx which saw more than 1.3 million people arrive in Europe last year. Some see the country as a buffer against the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.Referring to a Bulgarian border checkpoint where migrants massed last year, Erdogan said in a speech in Istanbul, "Don't forget, the West needs Turkey."http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~3/FGsdGGESCLM/us-turkey-europe-erdogan-idUSKBN13K0R6http://www.wochit.com